It's a good time to be an artist in the north of the UK, and that's not just because of all the hoo-ha currently surrounding our favourite son, David Hockney.

Excitement is gathering pace over his coming takeover of the Royal Academy, with smaller 'trailer' exhibitions already open in Saltaire – where his friend Jonathan Silver amassed the largest Hockney collection in the world – and at Bradford's excellent art gallery in Cartwright Hall.

The £21,000 Northern Art Prize is also heading through the preliminary heats in advance of its annual shindig in January – next year's will be the fifth; but here's the thing. There's now a second major art prize for northern artists, and it has just announced its first winner.

He is Nat Quinn, seen above with his winning entry for the New Lights Art Prize which has earned him £10,000 and professional guidance and mentoring from an established professional artists, Emerson Mayes.

Short-listed: Cool It by William Bradley. Photograph: New Lights

There is something appealing practical (and in my own opinion therefore northern) about this initiative; as well as acknowledging fine art, it wants to encourage fine artists to find ways to make a living, rather than inhabiting garrets in a soulful but financially unrewarding fashion.

The artistic standards of the new prize seem safe if future judging panels are the equivalent of this year's: Kate Brindley, Director of Middlesbrough Institute of Modern Art (mima) and a National Advisor for the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Art Funding Programme; Paul Hobson, Director of the Contemporary Art Society and the artist William Tillyer. They attracted … entrants, shortlisted down to these 24 listed at the foot of this post.

Short-listed: Old shack in forest by Matt Spencer. Photograph: New Lights

The prize is open to artists aged between 23 and 35 who either live in the north or have graduated from universities here. Named this year after its main sponsor Valeria Sykes, it aims to discover 'potential to succeed' as well as current excellence. Sykes has made an additional £2,500 award to Francesca Hudson from Newcastle.

Quinn's very grateful, naturally, and says:

I'm absolutely delighted and somewhat overwhelmed. Not just the £10,000 but the business mentoring will undoubtedly help my career as a professional artist.

Here's what the judges said about his work, first Paul Hobson:

Nat Quinn's delicate and ambiguous abstract paintings take as much from other media - like drawing and ceramics - as they do from the history of painting. A very worthy recipient in a talented selection. Paul Hobson, Director of the Contemporary Art Society.

William Tillyer:

Nat Quinn is showing a way to confront painting with a relevance to our inner lives; which in the political and economic climate of today, remains vital.

Annette Petchey, chief executive of New Lights, praises the " diverse range of paintings being produced by young artists across the region" and reminds us that all work is for sale – another sound northern touch.

The prize exhibition is at Harrogate's Mercer art gallery until 8 January 2012. Cut along there. It's nicely convenient for the Valley Gardens and no end of cafes and pubs.

Here is the full shortlist of entrants, all represented in the exhibition: